Great Bear Rainforest
Stretching along British Columbia’s coast north to Alaska, the Great Bear Rainforest covers 6,394,033 hectares and represents 25 per cent of the world’s remaining coastal temperate rainforests. Rich in biodiversity, its ancient forests shelter a multitude of species from grizzlies to coastal wolves, salmon, eagles, elk, and its namesake, the endemic white Spirit Bear.
The Great Bear Rainforest: a globally renowned conservation success protecting ancient forests and diverse wildlife.
The Great Bear Rainforest is the traditional territory of 27 First Nations who continue to use and live on the land. Their cultures have evolved along side the landscape since time immemorial.
The Great Bear Rainforest (GBR) stands as a testament to the power of collaborative conservation. The GBR is safeguarded by one of the most comprehensive protection agreements in the world — the Great Bear Rainforest Protection Agreement. This landmark accord, forged between First Nations, environmental groups, industry, and the government of B.C., not only shields this magnificent ecosystem but also sets a global precedent for lower-impact forest management and Indigenous-led stewardship. Though 85% of this marvel is formally protected, more work needs to be done to enable this conservation operationally.
The core idea of our work — that the global marketplace could influence conservation with their purchasing choices — was put to the test in negotiations with the B.C. government and industry in the Great Bear Rainforest. We convened companies at key junctures to communicate that they would not buy forest products from this area unless there was science-based conservation in place: this was a key contributing factor in determining the fate of the now-protected parts of the GBR.
Rainforest Riches:
The spirit bear, or Kermode bear, is a rare and mystical creature found only in the Great Bear Rainforest. This unique bear, with its creamy white fur, is a genetic variant of the black bear and symbolizes the rich biodiversity of this ancient forest. Protecting this unique ecosystem is essential to ensuring the future of the spirit bear and the myriad of species that call this rainforest home.
